Rotary brush or cleaner



(No Model.) y

J. W. STARRITT. ROTARY BRUSH 0R CLEANER.

No. 572,459. Patented Dec. 1, 1'896 Ems Pneus co, Pnomurno., wAsnlNo'rzm. n. cv

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE. i

JOSEPH W'. STARRITT, OF RICHMOND, VIRGINIA.

ROTARY BRUSH OR CLEANER.l

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 572,459, dated December 1, 1896. Application filed pril 2, 1896. Serial No. 585,953. (No model.)

To (LZZ 'Ll/71,077?. it 777.0.7/ concern:

Be it known that 1, JOSEPH W. STARRITT, a citizen of the United States, residing at Richmond, in the county of Henrico and State of Virginia, have invented new and useful Improvements in Rotary Brushes or Cleaners, of which the following is a specification.

This invention .relates to a rotary brush or cleaner, and has for its object to provide a rotarybrush or cleaner adapted to be grasped and rapidly rotated by the hand of the operator for the purpose of dusting, cleaning, and polishing machinery of all kinds and for cleaning articles of every description whatsoever.

To these ends myinvention consists in the features and in the construction, arrangement, orcombination of parts hereinafter described, and pointed out in the claims following the description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, wherein Figure 1 is a longitudinal central section of my improved device. Fig. 2 is a transverse section on 'the line 2 2 of Fig. 1, and Fig. 3 is a detail view illustrating a plurality of the interchangeable brush-heads.

Referring to the drawings, the numeral l indicates a cylindrical or tubular casi ng closed at its opposite ends by heads 2 and 3. .Iournaled in the head 2 is a brush-spindle 4, which passes through a central aperture in the other head, 3. Disposed within the casing 1 is a coiled spring 5, that encircles the brush-spindle 4 and is attached at one end, as 6, to the casing and at its other end is attached to the brush-spindle.

Formed with or attached to the rear end of the casing 1 are two opposed lugs 7, to which are pivoted, by means of pivot-pins 8, levers 9. The forward portions 10 of said levers gradually taper from their pivotal points to their extremities and normally lie parallel with the tubular casing 1, while their rear portions 11 are slightly bent or deflected from the forward portions 10 at an obtuse angle to the latter. The rear extremities of the portions 11 of the levers terminate in loops or eyes 12 and 13, in which are adapted to be inserted the foreiinger and thumb of the hand of the operator.

To the ends of the forward portions 10 of `the levers are attached the ends of cords la, the other ends of said cords being attached to and wound about a drum or spool 15, that is rigidly mounted on the end of brush-spindle 4. The end of the brush-spindle is screwthreaded, as at 16, over which is adapted to be screwed a'brush-head 17. In practice a number of brush-heads are provided, that are respectively covered with sheepskin, leather, or abrading or polishing materials, or are provided with bristles or other br-ush materials, the nature and variety of the materials being dependent upon the class of work designed to bevdone.

The operation of my improved brush will be readily understood.

The operator inserts the forenger and thumb of one hand in the loops or eyes 12 and 13, and by opening and closing the levers 9 precisely in the same manner as shears or scissors are operated the cords 14 are alternately unwound from about the drum or spool l5, rotating the brush-spindle 4 in one direction, and at the same time coiling up the spring 5, and the spring reacts to rotate the spindle in the reverse direction and wind up the cords about the spindle. The brushspindle is thus rapidly rotated alternately in opposite directions, the brush-head rotating therewith.

The operator is enabled to guide the device with the greatest ease and apply the rapidlyrotating brush-head to every part of the article being cleaned, the brush-head operating with equal facility and effectiveness on plane or curved surfaces, or in corners, depressions, or crevices.

By supplying several interchangeable brush-heads provided with a variety of cleaning, abrading, or polishing materials articles of nearly every nature whatsoever may be quickly and thoroughly dusted, cleaned, polished, or smoothed with the expenditure of but slight labor.

The device is extremely simple, durable, and easily operated, and may be easily carried in the pocket, and owing to its compactness and ease of operation parts that are usually inaccessible to ordinary brushes and the like may be readily reached and thoroughly cleaned.

The operator needs to employ but one hand IOO to both aetuate and guide the brushJ thus leaving the other hand free for performing such duties as may be required of it.

Having described iny invention, what I claim is- 1. In a rotary brush or cleaner the combination with a rotary brush-spindle journaled and extending longitudinally in a suitable easing and having secured thereon a brush and a drum or spool, of a spring for rotating said brush-spindle in one direction, pivoted oscillating levers extending longitudinally at opposite sides of the brush-spindle, and cords wound about said drum or spool and attached at their ends to the ends of said oscillating levers, whereby when said levers are oseillated the brush-spindle is rotated by said cords and spring alternately in opposite directions, substantially as described.

2. In a rotary brush or cleaner, the combination with a tubular casing 1 having heads 2 3 inserted in its opposite ends, of a rotary brush-spindle et journaled in said heads and having mounted thereon a fixed drum or spool 15, a coiled spring 5 disposed within said casing and attached at one end to the casing and at its other end to the brush-spindle, lugs 7 on the opposite sides of the rear end of the casing, bent oscillating levers 9 pivoted to said lugs and provided at their rear ends with eyes or loops 12 13 adapted to be ein gaged by the linger and thumb of the operator, and cords wound about said drum or spool and attached at their ends to the forward ends of the oscillating levers, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JOSEPH XV. STARRIT' iVitn esses:

W. M. KENNEY, J. O. SABYN. 

